LIghting for Large Product Photography

[gracemom]

I am shooting showers and all in one shower/tubs. I am using a Canon 20 D and have two strobe flashes with umbrella's (inner white - outer black). At first the glare of the shiney surface was a problem, but I finally stopped it by raising the strobe's up very high (8 feet high) and each off at a 45 degree angle. My problem now is the color. No matter how I shoot it or post porcees it - the units look grayish to me. I am new at this and am wondering if it could be the kind of lights I am using. Would soft boxes be a better choice for the lighting and if so any recommendations? Thanks!

[howzitboy]

post up sample shot so we can see what looks like.

[gracemom]

Here is an example. It appears whiter on the computer screen and grayer when printed. Help! What do I need to do - other lighting? - or what. Thanks!

[René Damkot]

First one looks magenta.
Is your screen calibrated?

White will obviously turn gray if it is exposed less...
If it's reflective it might also reflect the color of the surroundings. (floor in the second image). I'ld suggest a neutral, even underground.
Think of the sides of the tub as a mirror: That will help see what is reflected where ...

[gracemom]

Thanks so much for your comments. Is there a program (other than windows) that woud better calibrate my screen?

[René Damkot]

Have a read in the link from my sig. There are a few links about monitor calibration in there...

[Curtis N]

Monitor calibration is important, but it's not the best way to make sure that white things are white.

A custom white balance, or shooting a neutral test target as a white balance reference for your RAW converter, will take care of that issue. If you're shooting something white or gray, it's all the more easy.

Now if something white turns out gray, that simply means it's underexposed. But anything white with shape will actually be various tones of light gray, depending on how you light it. If you overexpose, then it will look white but you'll loose any sense of shape and depth.

I think the lighting in those two shots looks fine (though not very dramatic). The shape of the oval tub is well defined. Once you get your white balance adjusted and expose it so only the brightest parts are clipped, you'll get the results you're looking for.

[gracemom]

Wow! Thanks. Would you better explain the white balance procedure you mentioned and how could the lighting be more dramatic?

[Curtis N]

If you're shooting JPEG, lookup "custom white balance" on p. 51 of your 20D instruction manual. It's fairly straightforward, and if you have a big, white target it's a no-brainer. If you're using strobes, then be sure to use them when you take the reference shot.

If you're shooting RAW, then the RAW conversion software (like Digital Photo Professional) will have some sort of eyedropper tool to pick a white area of an image to set the white balance. Check the user guide of your RAW conversion software.

As for "dramatic" lighting, that's more of an art than science. Since these are uninstalled fixtures, trying to be dramatic is probably not the best approach. If you were doing interior photos of bathrooms that included your fixtures, you might want to get more creative.

[howzitboy]

yeah, the shots look totally blown out and has no details. I think you need more shadows to give the shower some 3-D look. side lighting might help. to help with the shiny surface, they have some anti glare spray stuff that dulls it (you can wipe it off later), so you wont get those reflections/hot spots.

[René Damkot]

yeah, the shots look totally blown out and has no details.
Sounds like you need to calibrate your monitor as well. The shots aren't even cose to 'blown out'...

IMHO dulling spray is the last resort of those who don't know lighting in most cases.

[Wilt]

Agree with René that the photos are not blown out, and the left one has a magenta cast equivalent about a 5M-10M color compensating filter (if my color memory is still tuned properly).

[gracemom]

You guys are so helpful. Thanks so much. I will address the lighting at the next shoot. Is there anyway in post processing I can get these photos to look whiter when printed? I have experimented with the burn tool, levels, and last night adjusted the gamma on my printer from 1.8 to 2.2 (It is an Epson - I also have an HP, but I haven't printed anything just yet.) I am shooting in a warehouse and the light from sunlights overhead has interfered in past shoots. Any suggesstions would be appreiciated. Thanks again!

[Wilt]

Monitor calibration is important, but it's not the best way to make sure that white things are white.

A custom white balance, or shooting a neutral test target as a white balance reference for your RAW converter, will take care of that issue. If you're shooting something white or gray, it's all the more easy..

I agree, but it is also important to point out to everyone that there are many different warmths of white and gray available in things we see all the time!
So 'neutral' is best controlled via use of a legitimate gray card or custom white balance target! Otherwise, you could be neutralizing a warm white, or neutralizing a cool gray.